Surveillance camera code bill comes into force

The Protection of Freedoms Bill became law yesterday, and will see the introduction of a new code of practice for CCTV and automatic number plate recognition systems, the surveillance camera code.

The bill is mainly focused on curbing local authority “snooping”, the destruction of DNA given by innocent people as well as to “radically scale back the employment vetting process which would have routinely monitored 9.3m people.”

It will also offer the public better protection from rogue wheel clamping firms.

However the creation of a new Surveillance Camera Commissioner to oversee a new surveillance camera code of practice will doubtless draw attention in the security market.

The code of practice is to be issued by the secretary of state for the Home Office, and will contain guidance about the development and use of surveillance camera systems, as well as the use or processing of images from these cameras.

There will also be guidance on the types of surveillance systems available, technical standards and standards applicable to persons using or maintaining them.

The code will be issued in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Information Commissioner, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner, Surveillance Camera Commissioner and others with an interest that the secretary of state deems appropriate.

The code will be used to govern the use of CCTV by local authorities who will be expected to pay regard to it when commissioning and specifying surveillance equipment.

It will therefore be important that security installers and manufacturers alike are familiar with the provisions that the surveillance camera code makes when it is introduced to parliament.

This is likely to be later this year.

The provision for the new surveillance camera code is made in chapter 2 of the Protection of Freedoms Bill, which is available in full here.

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